Sesame Soba Noodles with Asparagus

Super easy soba noodles!

When it comes to feeding your family, I like to talk about what we can add to our diets as opposed to what we should take away. Pack those plates with veggies! Bring on the healthy grains. Let’s have dessert that is delicious, but also healthy. Which is what I love about Amanda Haas’ latest book, The Anti-Inflammation Cookbook. Through personal experience overcoming a chronic health condition and her depth of experience as the Director of Culinary at Williams-Sonoma, she’s created a wonderful cookbook with delicious, easy recipes that help us add loads of colorful variety to our family tables. Amanda and I have had great fun cooking together, including the launch of The 52 New Foods Challenge at Williams-Sonoma. I’m thrilled to be featuring one of Amanda’s fantastic recipes this week, Sesame Soba Noodles with Asparagus.

You may think this book is for only people struggling with ailments like chronic stomach pain or joint problems. But all of us can benefit from the basic principles that Haas is promoting: cook more, boost veggies, and go easy on things that should be enjoyed in moderation (sugar and alcohol). Through cooking simple meals at home you’ll learn to make healthy foods taste delicious, your reliance on processed foods will be greatly diminished, and your ability to control added sugars will be improved. It’s a simple formula for health.

One of my favorite recipes from Amanda’s book is Sesame Soba Noodles. Not only because a cozy bowl of noodles is one of my go-to weeknight dishes, but because soba noodles made with buckwheat are an excellent gluten-free alternative to wheat pastas and rice noodles. Whether your family is gluten-free or not, this is a great way to add variety to your table. I hope you’ll add this recipe to your easy weeknight meals rotation.

And if you’re game to try more recipes from Amanda’s book, enter our giveaway to receive a signed copy of The Anti-Inflammation Cookbook! Simply share what healthy veggies you’re cooking this week to enter. Details below.

Buckwheat is the seed of a broadleaf plant that can be cooked whole or ground and used like flour. Soba made with buckwheat is an excellent gluten-free alternative to wheat pastas and rice noodles, which lack nutritional value. Because buckwheat stabilizes blood sugar, lowers cholesterol, and fights inflammation, it is classified as a superfood. If you’re looking to live without gluten, make sure your soba noodles have not been produced on the same equipment as wheat-based products and are totally gluten-free.

Author: Amanda Haas

Serves: 4

Ingredients

One 9.5-oz [269-g] package buckwheat soba noodles

3 Tbsp toasted sesame oil

2 Tbsp tamari, plus more as needed

1 Tbsp lime juice, plus more as needed

2 tsp honey

2 Tbsp sesame seeds

4 cups [2 80 g] sliced King Trumpet or shiitake mushrooms

Kosher salt

2 cups [2 20 g] sliced asparagus

1 carrot, peeled and julienned

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 Tbsp chopped mint

2 Tbsp chopped basil

2 green onions, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced

Instructions

Prepare the soba noodles according to the package instructions. While they’re cooking, whisk together 2 Tbsp of the sesame oil, the tamari, lime juice, and honey. When the noodles are done, drain them, rinse with cool water, then place in a medium bowl and toss with the tamari mixture.

Place a cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sesame seeds and toast, stirring constantly, until fragrant and just browned, about 2 minutes. Add to the noodles.

Return the pan to medium-high heat. When it is very hot, add 2 tsp of the remaining sesame oil and swirl, then add the mushrooms and a pinch of salt. Allow the mushrooms to sit without stirring until seared on one side, about 2 minutes, then stir and cook for 2 minutes more. Place the mushrooms in a small bowl to cool.

Add the remaining 1 tsp sesame oil to the pan, followed by the asparagus. Cook for 1 minute, then add the carrot, garlic, and a pinch of salt and cook for 2 minutes. Add the vegetables to the mushrooms and allow to cool a bit, then place in the bowl with the noodles. Toss with the herbs and green onions. Taste, adding additional lime juice or tamari if needed for balance. Serve immediately.

Notes

Adapted from The Anti-Inflammation Cookbook: The Delicious Way to Reduce Inflammation and Stay Healthy, by Amanda Haas with Dr. Bradly Jacobs (Chronicle Books, 2015)

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Heralded by Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution as “A mom and genius game creator helping kids eat fresh food!”, Jennifer Tyler Lee is an award-winning cookbook author, game creator, and healthy eating advocate. Jennifer has garnered national TV, radio, and print coverage for her family cookbook, The 52 New Foods Challenge, and her nutrition game, Crunch a Color®: The Healthy Eating Game. Jennifer’s work has been spotlighted by Jessica Alba, Michael Pollan, Jamie Oliver, Laurie David, Rachael Ray, US Weekly, The 700 Club, and Oprah.com—among many others. Her fresh approach to cooking together as a family inspired a nationwide series of kids cooking classes at Williams-Sonoma, The 52 New Foods Junior Chef Series, along with an exclusive edition of her book. A former strategy consultant, she lives in the Bay Area with her family.

2 Comments

We’ve been cooking a lot of veggies this week, so far we had kale, sweet potato, carrots, green onions, lettuce, Asian long beans, bok choy and spinach. Favorite meal for us so far was a kale salad with avocado and lemon massaged into it….kids had no clue what it was and finished off the bowl, I don’t try to hide veggies but its extra exciting when they ask for seconds.